Inside the First Amendment: Let's try civility in 2014

8:37 AM,
Jan. 13, 2014

Written by

GENE POLICINSKI

The First Amendment protects our freedom to say and write just about anything we want - but that doesn't mean we ought to, particularly in public life.

The difference rests between "can" and "should."

Our nation's founders were no strangers to rude, callous and raucous debate in public life and to vicious commentary, even by today's "anything goes" online standards. Sex scandals, infidelity, personal weaknesses and even religious differences were exposed, debated and mocked in public life and in the newspapers of the day with personal glee and political purpose. ...